Answers

Why was my Google or Facebook ad rejected or disapproved?

Ascent Vision · Published October 25, 2026

An ad is usually rejected because something in it, or on the page it sends people to, breaks the platform's ad policies. Google says a disapproved ad cannot run until the problem is fixed and the ad is reviewed again, and the cause can sit in the ad, its assets or the landing page. Meta reviews each ad against its Advertising Standards. Read the stated reason first, fix that, then resubmit, or request a review if you think the decision was wrong.

Find the reason before you change anything

Google Ads Help says to open the Ads page, hover over the "Disapproved" status in the Status column, and choose "Read the policy" to see which rule the ad broke. A "Policy details" column can be added to the table, and a disapproval email links to the affected ads in Policy manager.

Meta's Advertising Standards say each ad is reviewed against its policies when it is ordered, mostly by automated tools, and that review is typically completed within 24 hours, with the ad shown as "In review" meanwhile. A rejected ad is not a suspended account: the related answer on why an ad account was suspended covers the whole account.

Reasons each platform gives

• Google, ad text: its examples include repeated punctuation or symbols in a headline, and mention of a restricted product such as tobacco.
• Google, the landing page: a typo in the page address ("Destination not working"), or a display address that does not match the final address ("Destination mismatch").
• Meta: its stated principles include protecting people from fraud or scams, and it prohibits ads using deceptive or misleading practices, as well as shocking or sensational content, certain adult content and profanity.
• As general advice, a page that is slow, broken or about something other than the ad is worth checking first, even when the ad's own words look fine.

Fix it, then ask for a review

On Google, editing the ad and choosing Save resubmits it, and it is reviewed again automatically. If you believe the decision was a mistake, or you have made changes, Google lets you appeal from Policy manager or the Ads page, choosing "Dispute decision" or "Made changes to comply with policy". Google limits each ad to 3 appeals, asks you to wait at least 24 hours between appeals on the same ads, and says that from July 21, 2026 decisions more than 6 months old are appealed through Google Ads support instead.

Meta says advertisers whose ads are rejected are typically given a chance to edit them and can request another review if they believe the ad was wrongly rejected, through Account Quality. It also says ads can be reviewed again and rejected at any time, so a passed ad is not settled for good.

Why not just post it again

Re-posting the same ad unchanged usually meets the same decision, and Google warns that it may suspend appeals when it sees signs the appeals function is being misused. As general advice, change what the policy objects to, such as a claim you cannot back up or a page that does not deliver what the ad says, rather than rewording the same thing to slip past review. Which platform suits a service business at all is covered in the related answer on Google Ads or Facebook ads.

Sources

1. Google Ads Help, "Fix a disapproved ad or appeal a policy decision" (accessed 2026-10-25)
2. Meta Transparency Center, "Introduction to the Advertising Standards" (accessed 2026-10-25)

Related answers

• Why was your Google Ads or Facebook ad account suspended, and how do you appeal?
• Google Ads or Facebook ads: which is better for a service business?
• Who should own your Google Ads and Facebook ad accounts?